1. Technical Field
This invention relates to air duct registers and, more particularly, to a magnetically affixed air duct register for diffusing air away from an existing air duct.
2. Prior Art
Forced air heating and cooling systems provide an economical and quick reaction to desired temperature changes in a structure. Forced air systems are used in winter for heating by blowing air around a fire box, which may be fueled by gas, oil or coal, or around an electrical or fluid heat source, and then blowing the air through a register and through sealed ducts along floors and wall, and then finally releasing the air through registers, which are wall, floor or ceiling mounted. The air is drawn into the system through large intakes, is collected through intake ducts, and is again blown around the heat source or sealed fire box to heat the air. In summer, often the same forced air system is used. A heat exchanger is imposed across the major duct, and a refrigeration system outside of the structure draws fluid from the heat exchanger, compresses the fluid, cools the compressed fluid and returns the fluid to the heat exchanger for expansion and cooling the heat exchanger. The forced air is circulated over, around and through the heat exchanger, is cooled, and is circulated through the ducts and branch ducts, out of the registers and through the structure before it is returned to the heat exchanger.
When designing structures and forced air systems for the structures, much attention is given to the size and straightness of the main duct and to the size of the branch ducts, and to positioning of registers within rooms. The positioning of registers in rooms is made more difficult by dual-purpose heating and air conditioning systems. Registers for heating are best positioned near a floor, and registers for cooling are best positioned near a ceiling. Heated air tends to flow upward and cool air tends to flow downward. Standard registers measure about 3 inches by 10 inches, or 4 inches by 10 inches, according to the size of the room and available space for installation.
Such registers are conventionally mounted to a support surface, whether ceiling, wall or floor, by threaded fasteners. Such threaded fasteners, even when countersunk, greatly detract from the smooth planar design of the register vent's outer surface. Furthermore, user of threaded fasteners weakens the structural integrity where they are inserted into the support surface. As such, there is an increased risk for mechanical failure in the areas around a register vent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,379 to Wagner discloses a movable-louver heating and cooling register. The heating and cooling register has movable louvers installed on pivots that are formed in the register body. Two control arms are used to pivot the groups of louvers. The control arms are mounted on diagonals from each other. Both control arms are attached to a central control shaft, which is designed to rotate about its central axis. Because the control arms are mounted on opposite sides on the diagonal, as the control shaft is rotated, it pulls the two control arms in opposite directions. This causes each set of louvers to move in opposite directions. The advantage of movable louvers is that they can be used with both heating and cooling cycles. To operate the louvers, the control shaft can be turned by hand. Unfortunately, this prior art reference does not disclose a means of securing the register by way of magnetically affixing it to the existing air duct in order to permit a smooth outer surface of the register, free of raised fasteners.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,371 to Jenkins discloses a magnetic smoke and fire shield for installation adjacent an air register associated with a building conduit to control the conduit opening. The apparatus includes a frame containing an opening, and a closure member connected with the frame for movement between open and closed positions relative to the frame opening. At least one of the closure members and frame is formed of ferromagnetic material, the other member having magnetic sealing means associated therewith. The closure member is retained in the open position by means including a fusible link set to melt at a predetermined temperature. The closure member may also be released manually. Upon the occurrence of a fire, the closure member is released to a closed, magnetically sealed position relative to the frame opening. Unfortunately, this prior art reference does not disclose a means for permitting and adjusting the flow of air through building conduits for purposes of adjusting room temperatures, and would not be easily adapted to be employed for such purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,984 to Easterbrook discloses a heavy flexible magnetic panel for sealing a register of a forced air system. The magnetic panel is placed over the register and adheres to the entire panel and over the entire register for preventing escape of forced air from the register. The flexible magnetic panel is used on wall registers, on floor registers and on ceiling registers. Unfortunately, this magnetic panel is employed to stop air flow and is not designed for holding the register in place while a user adjusts the amount of air permitted to flow out thereof.
Accordingly, a need remains for an air register in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an apparatus that is convenient and easy to use, is durable yet lightweight in design, is versatile in its applications, and provides a method for diffusing air away from an existing air duct.